World Experts drawn to Oxford for Global Forestry Conference on 10-11 April 2019

The UK’s Role in Global Forestry – Past, present and future will be held on 10-11 April 2019 at the Examination Schools in Oxford. Forests are increasingly being relied upon to provide a sustainable future for the planet. The UK has a remarkable influence on the global forestry stage and, with its National Conference in 2019, the Institute is once again leading the way in preparing the forestry profession for the future.

International Union of Forest Research Organisations’ (IUFRO) Executive Director Alexander Buck joins Session 4, “Delivering Global Environmental Services from Forests”. Mr Buck is an expert on international forestry, environment and resource policy. He will explore how forests, science and people interconnect on an international scale. On day two, Environmentalist Tony Juniper, Executive Director for Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF-UK, will address Session 5 in a lecture entitled “Do Professional Foresters Matter?” exploring how foresters are viewed by those working in sustainability.

Commenting on the significance of the UK’s Role in Global Forestry, conference Chair Geraint Richards MVO MICFor, Head Forester at Duchy of Cornwall Woodlands, said: “The ICF’s 2019 national conference will provide a timely opportunity to consider the importance of the UK’s role in global forestry. Next year marks the centenary of the 1919 Forestry Act and, whilst touching on the past, the conference’s exciting array of international speakers will highlight the significance of the UK forestry sector today and going forward.”

TTF's UK Wood Panels Conference 2018 | 7 November 2018 | London

On Wednesday 7th November 2018, the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) will hold a conference in central London focused on wood panels production and trade.

The UK Wood Panels Conference 2018: adding value through innovation & fire safety will examine the current and future state of the wood panel products market in the UK.

Speakers of the day include Clive Pininngton, Managing Director of the European Panel Federation, and David Murray, Innovation Manager at MEDITE SMARTPLY.

The debate will focus on the innovative ways manufacturers and traders are adding value, ensuring quality and designing products to meet specific market needs at all steps of the supply chain.

"Wood-based panel products are one of the fastest sectors in the timber supply chain," explain the organisers. "Versatile, decorative and easy to use, they are increasingly popular with merchants, builders, designers and architects."

TTJ Wood and Wellness conference | 13 February 2019 | London

The Timber Trades Journal (TTJ) is organising a major conference in London in 2019 – Wood andWellness – to look at wood’s role in this trend. Do trees and the wood products that derive from them have an opportunity the shape this new world of wellness?

The event at the Hilton Tower Bridge on 13 February 2019 – aimed at the timber sector, architects, interior designers and construction professionals – will include research presentations, case studies and discussion panels comprising experts from a variety of sectors. The focus will be on the role that sustainable timber can play, not only in building the world in which we live and work, but also looking at the positive effects that the sympathetic use of timber could have on productivity, learning, recovery from serious illness and general sense of well-being.

"It has long been believed that exposure to the natural world can have a positive impact on health and well-being," say the organisers.

"Now this world of wellness is becoming a mega trend in the built environment, with building and interior design increasingly taking into account the health and wellbeing of occupants."

Studies examining the positive impact that greater exposure to nature/natural products can have on health and wellbeing have highlighted some impressive results:

• Office design: productivity can be increased by 8% and rates of well-being increased by 13%*

Solid Wood Solutions Conference & Exhibition | 5 July 2018 | Warwick

Developed to inspire and inform, Solid Wood Solutions will shine a spotlight on pioneering projects, that are gaining global attention. Through informative case studies presented by those who designed, engineered and developed celebrated solid wood structures such as:

• The ground-breaking Warner Stand at Lords Cricket Ground

• The 2018 Offsite Awards winner – Anchorage House at East India Docks

• The inspirational cancer treatment centre - Maggie’s, Oldham

• The pioneering Blackdale Student Residences

• The magnificent venue for the event – The Oculus

These presenters will be joined by specialists, academics and industry pioneers from Edinburgh University, TRADA, Buro Happold, Ramboll and Ecological Building Systems – leading offsite expert,

"Whether creating designer elements for defining high-quality architecture such as the Warner Stand at Lords Cricket Ground or focusing on the realisation of contemporary and sustainable buildings – wood as a natural raw material has established its position and is currently undergoing a revival quite unlike any other," say the organisers.

"Continuous technical developments and the need for sustainable management of our resources are further reasons why solid wood solutions such as cross laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber and glue laminated timber – are proving to be the material of choice for the 21st century."

This year, the ISC will offer two-day pre-tour at 9th and 10th of October as a choice of option with the great opportunity to visit sawmills with local capital and Group sawmill enterprises with international approach, and we would like to stress out forest resource topic by opportunity to visit corporate and governmental Nurseries.

As per tradition, the conference will be anticipated by a cocktail reception in the early evening on the 10th October at The Riga Latvian Society house, then conference will officially start at 9 o’clock the following morning at headquarters hotel – Radisson Blu Latvija. And after a full day of work we will be able to enjoy marvellous Gala Dinner together with our partners and colleagues at Blackheads House.

The conference will provide market analysis from the perspective of top-class international speakers. The presentations will be focused on facts and figures showing softwood production as well as consumption in the most relevant timber markets such as USA, UK, Canada, North Africa and Egypt, Russia, France, Japan and China.

The event will include an insight view of Confederation of European forest owners on resources with participation of PEFC and FSC certification system representatives, what will be one of the most interesting points of panel discussion of this year’s ISC.